World Soccer - UK (2021-10)

(Antfer) #1
Credit:Instagram@odilonkossounou

EUROPALEAGUE2021- 22


Europa League

players to watch

NickBidwellpicksoutthestarsthatcould

lightupthisseason’sEuropaLeaguecampaign

Patson

DAKA

LEICESTERCITY

Themuch-laudedZambiastriker,
recently-arrivedfromSalzburg,
wasabsolutelycorrectwhenhe
oncesaidthathehadtwodistinct
personalities:quiet,thoughtful
andhumble offthepitch,while
breathingfireandbrimstonein
theheatof thebattle.Still only22,
heispacy, energetic,industrious

andsharpintheredzone,as
provenbythe 3 4 goalsherattled
homeinallcompslast season.
CitesLuisSuarez,Kylian
Mbappeandnew team-mate
JamieVardy as hisrolemodels.
Benefitsfromtheadviceofagent
FredericKanoute,oncea great
Africangoal-getterhimself.

Lucas

PAQUETA

LYON

Aftea difficult 18 monthswith
Mian, theversatie Braziian
attacking midfielder impoved
weekonweekwithOLast term,
suppyingboththe styleand the
numbers (ninegoas andsix assists
inLigue1).Technically as smooth
assilk, thefomer Flamengo sta
rounded offanexcellent1 2
monthswitha prominentole in
Brazil’ssilvermedal at the 2021
CopaAmerica.New Lyon coach
PeteBoszhas theconundrum
ofwhee to play him: as adeep
directorofmanoeuves, in box-
to-boxmode, in theNo. 10 slot
orasaninvertedwinger.

Odilon

KOSSOUNOU

BAYERLEVERKUSEN

SimonRolfes,inchargeof
recruitmentat Leverkusen,certainly
pulledoffacoupthissummerin
persuadingthe IvoryCoastcentre-
backtoquitBelgianchampionsClub
BruggefortheBayArenaina€23m
deal.Kossonou, 2 0,reportedlyhada
longlist of suitors,includingthe two
Milan giants,Wolves,Arsenal,aswell
asPep GuardiolaatManchester City.
Sohatsoff to Rolfesforgettingtothe
front of thequeue.Athletic,powerful
anduseful on theball,the youngster
isalsoable to performtoa good
standardatright-backoras
a holdingmidfielder.

1

2 3
Free download pdf